CIC reprimands MoEF for giving ‘misleading’ info on radiations

The Environment Ministry got a rap on its knuckles from the CIC for furnishing "false and misleading" information that there was no study by it on the harmful effects of mobile radiations.

The Central Information Commission was hearing a case related to an RTI applicant seeking information in respect of a press release from WHO, which termed the electromagnetic waves from mobiles as possible carcinogens for a kind of brain cancer.

The applicant sought to know whether Environment Ministry has declared these radio-waves as air-pollutants, details on steps taken by the ministry to reduce their impact, and was there any study to measure the harmful biological effects of the waves emanating from cell phone towers on human 

health.

The ministry said it has not undertaken or sponsored any such study. However, during the hearing it came to light that there was an inter-ministerial group which studied the matter and submitted a report in 2010.  The CIC on Saturday expressed "surprise" that the Environment Ministry claimed that there is no study when an inter-ministerial group in 2010 and the WHO had said that there is an adverse impact of radiations on human health and made several suggestions on the "crucial issue".